The handicapping systems over the years

Shooting as a sport is somewhat similar to golf in that you compete against a standard or par as well as against other people. As in golf therefore, a handicapping system allows people of different standards to have a chance of winning. This is especially important in a Club where there would be little interest if one or two people won everything on offer each year. There have however been a series of different systems employed to attempt the impossible task of achieving a "fair" handicap. This is the history as far as it can be gleaned from the documentation available

1907 The First and Second attempt

Not a lot is certain about the first system, except that it was instituted in 1907. The Annual Report for 1907 states "The system of handicapping adopted during the past year, not having proved successful, it has been found desirable to place all members into classes A B C D, according to their shooting records. In the case of new members or of those who have not yet shot, their class will be ascertained on trial by shooting at 3 targets. Based on this classification various systems are now being tried of handicapping these classes. Full notice of the exact plan will be posted up at the range before each competition"

1908 The Second and Third attempt

The second system was better than the first, but not good enough to survive. The 3rd Annual Report in 1908 explains "The system of handicapping adopted last year has been carried out with success, but this year the Committee have decided to adopt the dropped point system for the purposes of which Members are divided into 10 classes according to their averages. All Members are placed in classes Scratch to J, according to their shooting records"

1909 and onwards The Green Dropped points system

In the 1909 Annual Report, the system described as the dropped point system starts to be referred to as the Green Dropped Points system. This system is used at least until the end of the Great War, after which, for some years there are handicap competitions, and therefore handicaps, but no mention made of the method. The assumption is that the dropped point system continued until 1929 when there is a page explaining the new system

The Handicap scheme for 1929

All competitors start scratch in their first shoot in the club competitions. thereafter their handicap depends on their position in the various competitions in which they take part. The scheme may be described as a cumulative system, since a losing competitor goes on adding to his handicap, and even after a win, does not necessarily lose all his handicap. Thus when he is plus 20 and wins, he loses 6 points and starts the next competition at plus 14.

The handicap is awarded in this system:-

Plus points can only be earned by completing a competition and points thus earned remain to the credit of the competitors in future events, even should they be unable to take part in every event.

Plus and minus points will be awarded as if the competitor had shot the events in their order according to the programme.

All shoots at 200 yards are scratch.

The Handicap system for 1930

This is basically the same system as 1929 except for two changes. First, instead of everyone starting at scratch, there was an initial handicap allotted to each person. New Members were assessed after a test. Secondly the points system was changed to the following:-

Finally, no competitor to be handicapped behind scratch

The Handicap system for 1931

The Achilles Heel of the system run for the past two year seems to be that, if you were bad enough for long enough, you could build up a handicap which allowed you to win with a score that was impossible to beat. If you scored 585 ex 600 and had a handicap of 20, you scored 605 ex 600 and the scratch men had no chance at all. The point made about the new system was that a "possible" could only be scored off the gun, suggests that this was a factor. Thus after two years of the cumulative system, the Committee opted for a dropped points system again. This may or may not be the system adopted between 1909 and 1928. It is shown in the 26th Annual report (1931) and Summer Programme (1932). It is thus the arrangements for 1932, but says it is the same system as last year. It is also used up to 1934 at least.

"In future, competitors will be classified, the Class number indicating the handicap to be received, e.g.

Class 1 receives half of the points dropped, Class 6 receives six-sevenths, Class 10 receives ten-elevenths, and so on, the fraction being worked out to three places of decimals. It will be seen that the long handicap classes are rather more favourably treated than the "Scratch" man as they receive a bigger percentage of the points dropped. In no case can a handicap bring the score up to the "possible", which can only be made off the gun.

A classification table, which will be subject to revision of the handicapper from time to time, will be placed on the notice Board before the start of the summer Season.

New Members must shoot their first competition from "scratch".

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